“I’ve spent the last few months trying to make it so I could play another season. I don’t know what’s going to happen next week. I’m going to try and step back and evaluate what the next chapter is and I don’t have a good answer (about the future) right now.”

Daniel Alfredsson officially said goodbye as a player in a heartfelt tribute to Ottawa Thursday, but the “door is open” for him to return to the Senators organization in the future.

If you’re a betting man, bank on it.

Alfredsson spoke in the morning and signed a one-day contract to return to the club to take part in the warm-up before Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders.

“I’m extremely thankful to get this opportunity to come back and retire as an Ottawa Senator,” Alfredsson said, surrounded by family and friends, current Senators players and media in a full conference room at Canadian Tire Centre.

“It’s still so early on in this process,” he said. “I’ve spent the last few months trying to make it so I could play another season. I don’t know what’s going to happen next week. I’m going to try and step back and evaluate what the next chapter is and I don’t have a good answer (about the future) right now.”

Alfredsson plans to spend the rest of the season in Detroit, catching up with his four boys and wife, Bibi. While there’s little question he’ll miss the game, he won’t miss the endless travel.

Alfredsson says he surprised himself by not breaking up during a prepared six-minute speech about what the organization, his career, the city and his various charitable contributions mean to him.

As for the outpouring of support he received from the fans, he was astounded.

“It’s overwhelming,” he said. “There’s no other word to describe it. It’s also very touching.”

Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, who offered Alfredsson the opportunity to return to the Senators as a free agent last summer, says the former long-term captain has a standing offer to return in a front-office capacity.

“The man has just retired,” said Melnyk. “Our door is always open. I’ve talked to (general manager Bryan Murray) about this. I’ve talked to Daniel about this. He can certainly contribute in many, many ways.”

Melnyk also said that Alfredsson’s No. 11 sweater will eventually be retired.

Murray says that Alfredsson’s experience would be an invaluable asset to the organization. As the Senators general manager talked about Alfredsson’s incredible ability to battle through pain – missing one game after suffering a broken rib and missing no time after breaking his jaw – and leadership, he called him one of the very best captains in the history of the NHL.

“It’s a tough day for hockey, a tough day for all of us in hockey, that Daniel Alfredsson is retiring from hockey.”

At the same time, the career is ending in its rightful place.

After several tough months in Detroit, trying to find a way to battle through back and leg pain, Alfredsson came to the tough realization it was finally over three weeks ago.

“Could I have played a little bit? Maybe. But I didn’t know what price I would have had to pay to play. And mentally, it was no fun just being on that cliff, maybe, maybe not being able to play. It was a hard decision, but at the same time, it felt good. Sometimes you feel like it’s never going to end, but it has to end sometime.”

He told Detroit general manager Ken Holland about the fact the Senators would like him to retire in Ottawa.

Holland told him that retiring here was the right thing to do.

Melnyk is ecstatic that the organization has been able to put behind them the nastiness that resulted after the Senators and Alfredsson couldn’t come to contract terms in the summer of 2013. The free agent would sign with Detroit on July 5, 2013.

“We made the very, very best from it,” said Melynk. “We turned lemons into lemonade sort of thing. For us, the lemons left a long time ago. We just wanted to make sure he was appropriately recognized in the day and throughout the night. I’m just very pleased this is the way we’re closing his career out.”

Looking back, Alfredsson says one of his biggest highlights was returning to Ottawa after the Senators advanced to the Stanley Cup in 2007 following his overtime goal against Buffalo’s Ryan Miller in the Eastern Conference final.

“The way the whole city got behind the team, seeing the people lined up, thousands along the streets was really cool,” he said. “But there are a lot of memories. The first game, the first rookie camp in Arnprior. All the friends, teammates, special bonds, there all in there.”

He also says he has few regrets, even the decision to leave for Detroit.

“You can always look and change a few thngs, but overall, no, I’m very lucky to have been part of this team,” he said. “There are so many great people who helped shape personalities. I met great people who helped to push me along.

“This is a business. We’re in this to win, but also have people and coaches who care about people and got to have some fun while you work. It’s going to be tough to find another job that is as rewarding and as fun as it is to play in the NHL.”

In honour of the occasion, the Senators gave Alfredsson his old spot in the dressing room to prepare for the warm-up skate. That meant Clarke MacArthur got pushed aside, for the moment.

“They asked me if I would move, I obviously said I would move,” said MacArthur. “I said ‘go ahead’ put me in the trash can if you want to. It’s his spot. It’s not about me. He can have my spot on the wing if he wants it, too.”

Rookie centre Curtis Lazar, who led the standing ovation from players after Alfredsson spoke Thursday morning, was eating up every moment, trying to learn everything he could about the best player in Senators history.

“You have to pay respects to someone like that,” Lazar said. “If I can be a quarter of a person he was, I will be very proud of myself.”

Hugo Alfredsson, his brothers Loui, and Fenix sit in the front row at the press conference where their dad Daniel, the former Senators captain, signed a one day contract enabling him to retire as an Ottawa Senator.Wayne Cuddington /
Ottawa Citizen

Daniel Alfredsson, (C), with Eugene Melnyk (L) and Bryan Murray, (R), after donning the jersey he wore on the last day of his season with the team two years ago during the press conference where the former Ottawa Senators captain signed a one day contract enabling him to retire as an Ottawa Senator.Wayne Cuddington /
Ottawa Citizen

Current players gather at the press conference where Daniel Alfredsson, the former Senators captain, signed a one day contract enabling him to retire as an Ottawa Senator.Wayne Cuddington /
Ottawa Citizen

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